The Gamble
by Ionized Rose
Summary: After the Vital Festival, Teams RWBY and JNPR receive a mysterious letter: "Would you risk all that you hold dear for an hour of fear?" One by one, the groups goes missing, and Nora's the only survivor of the mysterious abductions. But when Ruby goes to investigate, she winds up another player to the game. Dose she survive? Or just another casualty? DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

Ch. I: The Casting List

 **A/N: Ok, I'll make it easy for all of you readers because here's how this fic's going to play out: a mildly slow-burn horror story that's going to start out really slow, but will start to pick up (hopefully) within the next few chapters. The POV's in a "vantage point" style that should prove more or less more interesting, comparing it to the other fics that I've written? D:**

* * *

Yang's POV

' _Memories:_

 _Visions of the world of late?_

 _Or the world soon to be?'_

* * *

"Slow down, Ruby! Not everyone is as fast as you are!" I yelled over the rush-hour crammed Vale street. It was the beginning of the summer brake according to Beacon's schedule and the Vale tournament had just finished, despite the complications added to it.

Since the breach in the downtown segment of the city last spring had caused a serious uproar after the Grimm were cleared out, and General Ironwood took over as head of security, the event turned into some show to behold: Ironwood had set a preliminary round for all of the kingdoms to, somehow, prove their worth in two qualifying rounds being filled with Atlas' elite drones then packs of Grimm. Following that came the 1-v-1 matches which, to everyone's surprise, Jaune wound up winning.

"Try to keep up then! Or has the Ice Queen finally rubbed off on your legs, sis!?" Ruby yelled over her shoulder as she turned around the corner of the block she was currently on, three ahead of me.

And I was losing her trail.

'Dammit, Ruby!' I thought as I engaged Ember Celia and fired off a few shells, using the recoil as forward momentum to catch up with her. 'Where the hell are you taking me that's so goddamn important!?'

But as soon as I thought the question, I wished I hadn't, because it wasn't exactly the type of thing one doesn't forget easily… if not, ever…

Swinging on the light post on the corner of the block that I saw Ruby bolt around, I was face-to-face with what should've been long past an old memory…

Junior's old, hollowed out nightclub.

" _Ruby_ …" I said as soon as I managed to stop myself, a hint of the fury I felt looking at the building once again tinging my voice. " _What the hell is this..?"_

"We both know you remember exactly what this is - or rather, was at one point in time." She responded, an uncharacteristic monotone rang through her voice as she spoke, a steeled gaze of sadness and the want to destroy something. "It's that club that you practically went nuclear on last summer, remember?"

"Thats not what I meant…" I sighed, slightly more annoyed than before.

"It's reopening as an arcade sometime next week! And I figured, with my rep and all-" she didn't even need to finish her sentence for me to know what she was going to ask…

"No, Ruby… you know how I feel about you coming down to this part of the city as is, much less hanging out here!" I say as calmly as I can muster at this point. The area we where in was in the southwestern part of Vale next to the docks, but simply went by "The Pit." The place got its name with a good reason: every weekend, unless the Vale Police Department had any say in it, the centre of the small harbor became a massive sparing circle… people - humans and Faunus alike - bet on matches for who goes down first… death match style.

As to what they do to fighters who barely make it out alive or too far injured to fight another match, I wish I could forget those sights and sounds…

With a shiver running up my back at the thought of what happened after hours here in The Pit. Mentally shaking the gruesome thoughts of death and over exerted use of brutality, I turned to face my little sis for an attempt at persuading her to look the other way on this sickening place. "C'mon, Rubes, there's more arcades in Vale than just this one! And I'm pretty sure that someone's bound to beat a high score of yours sooner or later!"

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, I turned her around from the soon-to-be " _arcade_ ", and started walking her out of the neighbourhood before anyone got any bright ideas about her.

As soon as she was about to protest the whole situation, her scroll whined some muffled ringtone. Pulling it out of a custom pocket on her belt line for the device, the ringtone became much clearer as a song from one of her favourite animated series about two rival armies that are nearly indistinguishable besides their armour colours: one armies colours where more of a reddish spectrum, where as the others colours where that of blue.

Pressing a button onscreen, she lifted her scroll to her ear and quoted her trademark quote as to instil as much fear into the other arcade gamers as possible:

" _Rose Gaming: where the only things bigger than my high-score are my scythe's price tag and your blood splattered all over the wall!"_

Everyone at the arcades she went to in Vale already knew how big of a gamer she really was. But it wasn't until she made it onto DustTube that she really made it big… but that's a story for another time…

After picking up the call and reciting the line for probably the millionth time, she then bore a mask of her own anger and asking whoever it was on the other end of the line for some details as to who probably just crushed another of her high-score.

Despite the call only lasting two or three minutes, I managed to zone out into my imagination for the entire thing. The last thing she said after I zoned back in and before she hung up was "I'm on my way." like some spec-op mercenary. Turning to me and looking me dead in the eye, she scoffed "This isn't over, Yang." and took off in a puff of rose petals.

"Like hell it ain't." I muttered to myself with a smile on my face. As I started after her, only to stop about a half-dozen meters away and steal a final glance at the building that - despite the boarding on the windows and doors, as well as a notice from the health department stating that it was uninhabitable - I swear I saw someone staring at me from a third story window that wasn't boarded up before disappearing into the darkness of the room behind the glass.

Didn't get much of a look, but I thought I recognized the apparition from somewhere before.

Shaking off the thought, I broke into a brisk jog, only for the thought to return minutes later. As I thought, my mind started to wander as the questions to follow came up.

'Who was that person in that third story window? How'd they get up there without being noticed by anyone? Why did they seem so familiar? Wait- is that a taco truck? _Yumm!'_

* * *

Ruby's POV

' _Speed…_

 _The forward momentum of an object,_

 _…and the only thing that will_

 _define your very existence…'_

* * *

"Slow down, Ruby! Not everyone is as fast as you are!" I hear Yang yell behind me between the constant sounds of the busy Vale rush hour. It's only 4:00 PM but the streets are practically loaded with people by the time we're only a few blocks away from a new arcade that's opening up later this week, and my… 'habits of over-obsessively wasting my time on useless video games' as Weiss would of put it - which has made me tones of friends and my own DustTube channel.

'She's just jealous 'cuz i gotz skillz that she'll never properly grasp!' I think as I approach the final corner to the arcades street 'Probably hasn't even seen a console before, let alone a controller. _Oh shit, forgot about Yang!'_

"Try to keep up then! Or has Ice Queen finally rubbed off on your legs, sis!?" I yell over my shoulder to get her riled up to quicken her pace as I turn the last corner. I had been in a slight run since we landed at the docking station earlier today and only slowed down to a jog as I reached the front of the soon to be arcade.

Following my ceice in motion, four distinctive shotgun blasts rang out from around the corner of which I had emerged from. Shortly after they finished their echoing from the buildings, the screams of a man that then tumbled into view fully engulfed in fire. _'I'm so not bailing you out if you kill someone again, especially here, Yang!_ ' I nearly yelled out as she used the street lamp as I had to alter her trajectory to my current location. Sidestepping to avoid her speed killing me upon impact, she finally stopped about ten feet behind

" _Ruby_ …" she said as she clamped onto the bridge of her nose to try and vent her frustration passively " _What the hell is this..?"_

"We both know you remember exactly what this is - or rather, was at one point in time. It's that club that you practically went nuclear on last summer, remember?"

It was true that my big sis had a bit of a temper, but she could control it as long as no one touches her hair. After that, all bets are off as to who - or in this case, what - she'll punch a hole into or burn down. I wonder what she'll be like when I finally come out… No, better not. Not here at least.

"Thats not what I meant, Ruby…" she sighed, slightly more annoyed than before.

"It's reopening as an arcade next week! And I figured-"

"No, Ruby…" she said, almost sounding like a mother to her child. Before I could argue my case, she continued. "You know how I feel about you coming down to this part of the city alone, much less hanging out here! C'mon, Rubes, there's more arcades in Vale than just this one! And I'm pretty sure that someone's bound to beat a high score of yours sooner or later!"

 _vvvvttt vvvvttt, vvvvvtttt!_

 _'Well, speak of the Devil… who's going to die today..?'_

There's one thing that Vale's gaming community has learned to respect and fear since I picked up a controller, but my slogan says it sooooooo much better!

Taking my Scroll out of my custom made pocket that I made for my belt on my combat skirt, I let the ringtone play for a few more seconds before I pressed the accept button on the screen and let it rip.

 _"Rose Gaming: where the only things bigger than my high-score are my scythe and your blood splattered on a wall!"_

The blood splatter was more of a metaphor, but it did its job: instil fear into whoever thought it would be a good idea to prank call me in the middle of the night. "Ruby speaking!"

 _'It's me, Reaper.'_ The voice said on the other side of the line that I recognized as a friend and fellow gamer, 'Atomic Flea'.

No one knew why he chose the nickname, but one thing was certain about him: he was a force to be reckoned with, both in the feild and behind the controller. But gaming was his primary thing to do, if he wasn't writing knockoffs of famous works. But the tone of his voice told me that this was no leisurely call to chill some place.

"Sup Atom?" I sighed, prepping myself for the bad news. I had a rep for being the best in the city, but calls like this only damaged it majorly.

' _Not your scores, Reaper. Some fresh meat just wiped you off the leader boards of "House of the Grimm"…'_

"Did you just say _'House of the Grimm'…?"_ I said slowly, emphasizing every word of the games title.

'House of the Grimm' was a classic in any arcade. Mainly got its fan base from the simplistic point-and-squeeze-the-trigger style gameplay mixed with the challenge of nonstop Grimm swarms popping up from around almost every corner of the gameplays scenery.

The story behind it? Your an elite Huntsman sent on a serch-and-distroy job to clear an over run village south of Vale: save the village from its enevitable doom, be phrased, get paid, move on in your life. But the best part of it was the dule system screenplay setup: at any point another player could join in where you are and have their Shari of the fun!

Its controls varied from the skill set you chose before you had even begun the game: LMG, Pistol, SMG, Rifles or Shotguns. From there the player(s) could choose to use just one gun, or to dual wield the same weapon, thus furthering it into the debatable state-of-the-art category of gaming.

But to beat my high score AND wipe it off the field? There wasn't a way possible that my score - 50 million flat in an hour while on a single continue - was bested.

"What's his score at?" I questioned, my curiosity piqued close to its limit.

'… _You're not going to like it, Reap-'_

"THE SCORE ATOM!"

Silence was my only response, only sending my curiosity skyrocketing.

"Atom..?" I barely managed to whisper after several moments past without a response. 'How bad could it be?' I think while the silence continued on for another long five or so seconds. 'It's not like-'

 _'100,026,950… and counting….'_

I immediately begin to question the intel I just received. "Over 100M…?" I quietly squeaked. Regaining my composure, I cleared my throat and tried again to figure out what I just heard, and couldn't. "You sure it's not some glitch or something?"

 _'The scores are liget for the both of them, and their scores only have a difference of 20.'_

"Them? As in more than one?"

' _Yup… Neither him nor his partner have a hit against them…'_

I snapped at those words. 'Neither of them have been hit?' I thought, the urge to slowly kill them both lying just beneath my skin. 'Just who the fuck do they think they are!?' Taking a slow but steady breath to calm myself, I asked the most concerning question I had on my mind.

"Where are you?" I ask calmly on contrast with the full out Hellfire pumping through my veins. The hatred within me took over my thoughts to express some of his own. 'Where the fuck are the pricks that think they can get away with this..?

Where are those hacking fuckers that have a death wish of my wrath, then using one of my bullets as a pen, sign their death certificates in their blood? A-to-m… **WHERE THE FUCK ARE THEY!?'**

'" _Ricks Gaming Centre" on seventh and center…'_

A smirk crept onto my face at these words, following two from the emotion strongest in thought.

'Checkmate, bitchs!'

 _'Dare I ask how this is going to turn out?'_

"Remember the code system we set up as a precautionary alert if something went bad?"

' _Yeah, what about it?'_

"Rose Pink."

 _'Hold up… did you just say Rose Pink?'_

"I'm on my way." I hang up the phone and pocket it again. I gave Yang a sidways glance and stated coldly "This isn't over." and took off with a burst of my Aura towards my target, leaving rose peddles in my wake.

All the ways I could mutilate the pricks swam around in my head as I made my way towards where the arcade was, only one clear thought produced in the orchestra of chaos and rage in my mind - one clear note being played throughout this symphony of destruction and soon to be panic.

With a smile to match my thoughts, I vocally produced that single musicians section of the song:

"Better start praying, bitches! It's hunting season for your kind, and Imma be here everyday till it ends!"

* * *

Nora's POV

 _'A weapon is only as good as its handler. So, what dose that make the Hammer Maiden?_

* * *

"Nora?"

GGGRRRRR...

BLAM!

"Nora..."

RAWR!

BLAM BLAM BLAM BALM!

"Yeah! GET SOME!"

"NORA!"

"Oh! Sorry, Renny... did you want a turn too?"

It was just another day at the local arcade: lights flashing, sounds blaring from almost everygame in the building, me turning virtual Grimm into-

' _Grimm Jelly Achieved!'_ the games anouncment - besides being perfectly synced to my thoughts - only seemed to rile everyone that had crowded around me to watch the gameplay as I tore every Grimm to pieces. flicking the games hand-held controlers - dual Desert Eagles - to the edge of the screen, activating the games reloading sequence. At the same time, the screens view fliped at a 180 dagree angle to show a massive Beowulf Alpha leading what looked like 20 Betas.

'By the gods' names, I think Renny Bear might have some compatition here...' I thought as I put both Eagles in my right hand, grasping the controlers secondary button that was located underneath the barrle of the guns that activated the grenade function.

Looking at a group of spectators to my left, mostly kids in their early to midteens, and said while giving one of my trademark grins "Kids, only use this tactic on Grimm and while in dire need to finnish them off quickly if your overrun."

Turning back to the games screen, I spammed said buttons, firing off every last grenade the inventory held into the crowd of Grimm, causing some rather realistic, but nicely done, explosions.

Switching back to a dual wield fashion, I finished off the Betas that managed to survive the explosive onslaught.

Upon hearing the machine next to me being loaded with lien, I turned to see Ren grasping two Glock 18's. catching my glance, he smirked as he explained in his usual manor "You'll need help ahead."

Looking back to the screen I saw exactly what he meant with his choice of words.

Onscreen was a massive Deathstalker bursting through a nearby wall, smaller Grimm of every known variety followed through said hole.

Loading his weapons, he took aim and let the bullets fly, making short work of his targets from his choice of burst-fire.

Following suit, the smaller Grimm were all but alive after 30 seconds which only left the lone Deathstalker. Taking time to reload, I took the chance to ask a rather interesting question on my part.

"Hey, Ren…"

"Yeah Nor?" He said flatly, his usual monotone still in place.

"This is your first time to an arcade, in like, EVER, right?"

"Yes it is, why?"

As the reload was completed and the Deathstalker closing in for an attack, I managed to word out my question between gunshots "Soo… how exactly is it you know that I would need help, which I do- **DAMNIT, STAY THE HELL BACK FLUFFERS**!" yelling the last half of the sentence half in the spur of the moment, half because the giant Grimm nearly caused me to take damage. As to why I referenced it to a plushy I saw on my way over was a mystery to me.

"Fluffers..?" A spectator laughed "So, what? You name your targets before you kill them?"

"Can it kid, or you'll be the next one I cap-"

"You think you can scare me with your weak threats, bitch? Man, and I thought the previous high score on this game was pathetic!"

A chorus of laughter immediately followed the boys response, followed by the thought of Ruby mentioning that she claimed every high score in an arcade, but I couldn't remember which one.

"Hahaha! Yeah, cute. _Soooo_ … what was that last high score again?" I asked nervously, praying that it wasn't Ruby's.

"Just under half of yours," the kid said, an evil smirk emerging on his face as he continued "and was set by the chick from _Rose Gaming_."

" _Rose Gaming..?"_ I repeated, my voice shaky from the fear now pumping through me as I think to myself 'Well… Fuck. Imma die in a GameStop… and I still haven't gone on that date with Ren.'

"That's right…" the boy answered. "You've heard of her… right..?"

"Nay…" I grimaced, my tone low, as I realized I had mere seconds at best before I was her next victim. "I haven't just heard of her, boy… I've befriended her." My answer encouraged whispers and gasps from the audience around both myself and Ren. I sighed as I continued "And now her scythes blade as well."

Suddenly, the entire room went black, the sounds from the games stopped and what sounded like someone saying "sheeeee's heeeeerrrrreeee…" in the creepiest way possible.

Putting on a pair of night vision goggles that I "forgot" to return after the last mission we where on and turning them on.

' _Fuck it!' I thought, 'If I'm going to die, I'll die to my own tune of choice!'_

"Hush little Reap-er… don't say a word~" I sang as I looked around for Ruby.

Drawing Magnihild in its M32-Hammer form, I stepped down from the console I was just at and continued to sing "Nora's going to give you what you de…serve:"

Pushing my way through the crowd, I rested my weapon on my shoulder. "A way to see and hate the minds~ of the cruelness of people and… mankind!~"

The main door opened as the sound of a cape flapping in the wind arose and then died as I continued with the song, slowly pacing through isle after isle of games. "But if you cry and hate me more,~" as the door closed I felt a gust of wind behind me. Sighing, I finished the line I was on. "I'll fed the one you love to a Ne-ver-more!~"

"As much as I'd like to see that happen," I heard Ruby's voice fill my left ear, instantly making me freeze to where I was. "I'd rather kill her myself." A spew of rose petals surrounded me as she bolted away from me.

'So…' I thought. 'Psychological warfare is how you want to play it, eh? _Game on, Ruby!'_

Now running through the isles, I continued with my little song. "Then I'll see you break and go in-sane,~"

Again, the rose petals flurried around me, and Ruby's voice filled my ear. "To realize the true mean-ing of pain!~"

Turning to meet her, I was welcomed by the darkness that the goggles didn't clear away. Now slightly more pissed, I only slightly raised my tone so that everyone in the room could hear me. "As you rage, I'll sneak up to you unheard,~"

" _You're the one raging! Ya crazy bitch!"_ trash talking kid from before yelled out. Before I could shoot a grenade over his way, the sound of a head exploding prevented my pull of the trigger.

"So hush little Reaper…" I practically whispered as a suppressor was lifted to my neck, the cocking motion and sound of a bullet casing hitting a game nearby caused me to weep uncontrollably in fear.

As the next bullet was loaded into the guns barrel, she casually finished the song off.

"What is your last word?"

* * *

Ren's POV

 _'Underneath that stoic personality of yours,_

 _what secrets do you keep locked away?…_

 _What do you fear the most, Lie?'_

* * *

As the power went out in the arcade the chatter was minimal and casual, almost as if this was a normal occurrence.

That is, until Nora started to sing.

"Hush little Reap-er… don't say a word Nora's going to give you what you de…serve: a way to see and hate the minds of the cruelness of people and… mankind!~"

Where she gets these songs, I'll never know. Just that their extremely fucking creepy and scaring the kids around me.

"But if you cry and hate me more, I'll fed the one you love to a Ne-ver-more. Then I'll see you break and go in-sane, To realize the true mean-ing of pain As you rage, I'll sneak up to you unheard,"

At this point some wise ass smart mouth decides its a fun idea to open his mouth and say what he wants about the situation. " _You're the one that's raging, Ya crazy_ _bitch_!" Was all he said before Ruby shot the fuckers head clean off. Although, I don't recall her ever needing a suppressor… but, I digress.

At the far end of the arcade I could hear both Ruby and Nora finishing the song in unison.

"So hush little reaper . . . what is your last word?"

It was silent for a few moments afterwords, but came to an end as a single sniper round was fired off and the lights flickered back to life… and everyone around me just started screaming.

Not from the blood that now coated the room… not from the twenty bodies that where stacked about five feet away from the majority of us… or even the disembowelled body nailed to the ceiling above me.

Logically, they should've been, but they didn't.

They screamed because of the note each of us where now holding in our hands had the most terrorizing message possible…

 **Would you chance an hour of fear for all you hold dear!? The Gamble is always near if you choose to accept… be warned: come alone, or the choice you'll regret!**

The words written in blood.

Clipped to each of the notes was a face of, what I assumed was, a loved one: to mine was a picture of both teams RWBY and JNPR in front of the fountain at Beacon during the winter break.

Grabbing Nora by the arm, I dragged her out of the building and began a conference call between teams RWBY and the remainder of JNPR telling them (once everybody was connected) to meet both Nora and myself in our dorm room. Once agreed to the meeting, I hung up and looked at Nora.

She was showing all the symptoms of everything that she wasn't normally: terrified, fatigued, defeated. All of which suited to piss me off further.

Matching my gaze, fear and confusion filled her eyes.

"W-what the fuck was that Ren?" She stuttered weakly as tears ran down her eyes. "A-a-and what in gods name dose this note mean?" She held out her note for me to read. The message was the same, but the picture attached to hers was one of her beloved hammer.

"I don't know, Nora. Maybe once we regroup with the others we'll be able to figure it out. Sound good?"

A weak nod was his only response.

I sighed, wrapping an arm around her and proceeded to the shuttle bay to get us back to Beacon ASAP.

The walk there was mostly quiet, the occasional whimper from Nora could be heard as she shivered multiple times along the way. That and some nut running past us with a box of waffles yelling " **I'VE WAITED THIRTY YEARS FOR ONE OF THESE SLICES OF HEAVEN! AND YOU'LL ONLY BE GETTING THEM FROM ME WHEN I'M DEAD, COPPERS!"** as four cops chased after him.

Fortunately, the ride back to Beacon was much of the same: the shuttle was empty except for us, and we where the first ones back to the dorm.

Nora sat on her bed still shaking in fear. I sat beside her for god knows how long trying to calm her down.

And it basically stayed like that until Jaune walked through the door…

 **A/N: 'Kay, firstly: this is my first attempt at writing something like this. Sorry if it sucks.**

 **Secondly: The song that Nora was singing during the power outage was a paraphrased version of (what I have a tendency referencing it as) Cinders Lullaby from A Beacon of Hope in a Castle of Ice by Jorge10466. I was going to use that song elsewhere… buuut, that other fic isn't going anywhere fast.**

 **Thirdly: this fic was inspired to me by a good friend of mine: atomic flea, who, truly, is the inspiration behind this, and probably will be up on his page as well.**

 **And finally: this one is meant for those who think video games cause violence; NEWS FLASH! THEY DON'T! In reality, it's people like that that gives us gamers a bad rap in society. "Don't like it? Don't play it!" As an old friend of mine once said.**

 **Anyways: review, have some nachos, whatever it is you do in life, and (if there is one) I'll see you next time!**


	2. Nightmares and Plans

The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the arachnophobes' bedpost...'

(Ruby's POV)

* * *

"There's been a dream I've been having since receiving a note a few months back. In it, I start out in an extremely dark room with nothing but my usual attire and my sweetheart isn't in its holster on my back. In the distance, there's this clicking sound that sounds like a Deathstalker as its walking forward but only downsized. Anyways, in the dream, I'd take a step forward and ram my shin into the leg of a table about the height of my hips and on it is a coal burning torch and a lighter. After I'd light the torch, the clicking would disappear and the light that was produced by the flame would paint the walls blue-"

"Hang on a sec. sis... Blue flames coming off of a coal burning torch?" Yang interrupted as she sat up on her bunk. We had the afternoon off due to Nora nearly killing Cardin again, even though he unquestionably got what he deserved. Yang and I were in the dorm on our individual beds while Wiess and Blake were off doing some other things that I didn't want to think about while I was venting to my older sister.

"I know, sounds a lot like Resin, doesn't it?" I asked, ignoring her response.

"Or the Chintamonty Stone..." she let her voice drift into her own thoughts as she abandoned the rest of her sentence.

"You and I both know that it doesn't exist," I persist, snapping her back to reality. "Besides, somebody would've found it by now and sold it. Anyways, in the dream I'd see that the walls were made of a kind of stone similar to Beacon Tower's exterior, and that on the other side of the table is a darkened hallway where the clicking is coming from. From there, it varies from time to time."

"What do you mean by 'it varies'?"

"I mean it's like one of those 'choose your ending' stories: sometimes I'd brave the corridor," a chill ran through my spine at the thought of what was at the end of it. I shook it off and continued explaining, "And sometimes I'd sit back and try to wake myself up any way possible."

"Meaning..?"

"Any... Way... Possible... Yang." I answer slowly repeating my words with emphasis, resulting her eyes to widen at the drastic measures I had to use to help me through the nights.

"So... those bruises you've been waking up with... those where-"

"A gateway to escape the Hell that is my dreams?" Yang nodded at the accuracy of my guess tears welling up in her eyes. "Yup. Believe me when I say that I wish there was another way, but there ain't, I've tried looking for one, but there isn't any."

"O-Oh my god... Ruby-"

Holding up my hand to silence her, I closed my eyes and shook my head. "I don't need your sympathy, Yang, just you as backup." Opening my eyes again, I saw that she was on the verge of crying. Nodding that it was fine to allow herself to show such emotions in front of me, even gesturing for her to hop up on my bed so that I could comfort her. Catching onto my signals, she slid down from her bunk and used the momentum of her fall to bounce up onto by bunk beside me. Wrapping her arms around my shoulders and burying her head into the nape of my neck, causing me to hiss in pain as there was a bruise the size of my fist there.

Apologizing, she adjusted her resting place and let her tears flow into my shirt as she murmured repetitively between sobs "It should've been me..."

"How ironic," I thought, rubbing her back to try and calm her down before I continued explaining my plan. "this is almost exactly like when mom died, only now I'm the one calming down Yang, not the other way around."

We sat there for a good five minutes until Yang lifted her head, her eyes a terrible shade red except for her pupils. Wiping a still falling tear away, she cleared her throat and said "What do I have to do?"

"It's simple," I started, the plan coming forth in my head again. "We find the fucker that's started this war, question his motives, then kill him. That last one I'll leave to you, that is, if Nora doesn't first."

"Nora?" she asked, and with a nod, she continued to say "What's she got to do with this?"

"Jaune's been missing for almost a month now, Ren's in a coma caused by fear, and have you seen Pyrra lately?"

"Who hasn't seen what she's become? Or the wreckage caused by it?"

She had a point, but I was going to exploit it to my advantage. Pyrra was just a few words away from a killing spree, and everyone knew that. But what not too many people knew was that she was single-handedly destroying Vale looking for Jaune.

Literally.

A perfect example of this was not more than a week ago, she located a White Fang stronghold and eradicated it within three hours, only stopping to brutally interrogate the leaders of the stronghold and to wire explosives to level itself as she took her leave of the building. To say the least, the explosion cause a fireball that was noticeable as far as Patch.

And authorities still were digging through the wreckage of what once was a terrorist refuge with no suspects.

"And that's why she's perfect for this job," I said with a demonic smile spread across my face. "So, you in?"

"If it'll help you sleep again, just tell me what I have to do," she stated with a tone as cold as Wiess normally was.

"I'm waiting on the details of the letter we were given at the beginning of this whole thing to plan out our next move. As soon as I get an email from the hacker involved in this, I'll call up the team and we'll storm the fucker. Until then, do what you want to and tell no one about this! The fewer people that know, the better the odds of our success. Clear?" Nodding, she hopped down from my bunk and casually walked towards the door. As she was about to open the door and exit, she called over her shoulder "Make sure I'm the first to know." She then opened the door and stepped through, closing it behind her.

"You'll be on the list for that," I thought aloud as I grabbed my Scroll. 'That's all I'll promise you.' I then proceeded to scroll through my messages to see if my informant had messaged me yet on the final details.

* * *

'Down came the pain and burned it to a crisp...'

(Yang's POV)

* * *

I closed the door after myself as left Ruby to her own devices.

'C'mon hacker, give us something quickly so I can REALLY fuck this guy up!' I thought as I flared my Aura a bit, causing scorch marks the carpet and wallpaper and the sprinkler system to start up.

"FOR FUCK SAKES!" I heard coming from down the hallway. Specifically a guy about my height in a black trench coat, denim pants, combat boots, and a now soaked gray hoodie. He was a normal looking human, with a light toned skin color, light brown curly hair, and silver framed glasses. Pocketing his Scroll, he looked over my way with primarily hazel multi-colored eyes that seemed more like he was looking at an old friend than a complete stranger. "Hey," he called in my direction, his tone calmer than a few seconds prior. "Did you pull the fire alarm?" he questioned with a brow slightly raised.

"No," I answered, still pissed from the water pouring on me, "but whoever did'll definitely be getting a word or two from me when I find them..."

"You and I both," he said as he came closer to where I was currently standing. Extending his arm towards me, he said with a faint smile, "The name's Atomic Flea. My friends just call me Atom."

"Yang" I affirmed as I took his hand into my own. It was cold to the touch, almost the equivalent of Wiess in a way, but it was a relaxing type of cold. Like a cold drink on a blistering day cold. "Yang. Haven't seen you around before, you new?"

"Yeah, actually. Just transferred in last week," he stated casually while scratching his head sheepishly. "To be fairly honest, you're one of the first people to talk to me since I arrived here. Well, besides the faculty anyways." At that moment, the sprinkler systems deactivated themselves. "Look, we're both pissed off about something of our own accord and soaked from the sprinkler systems going on a random rampage. If you're anything like me you'll want a good workout to cool down, am I right?"

Nodding, I couldn't help but to give him a second glance over to notice that this 'Atom' had a set of katanas strapped to his back and multiple types of firearms holstered to his body under his coat in an equally diverse calibers and actions: from semi-auto .45's at his hips to select fire 9mm's along his back (only visible by collapsible stocks faintly sticking out). If Ruby were here she'd definitely be flipping out over this guy.

"Well, if you're done checking me out, I need to get changed into a more suitable suit for sparing in. I'd advise you do the same," he said as he turned and walked over to his dorm that he was entering before our little interaction. "And by the way," he called over his shoulder as he inserted his Scroll into the doors locking mechanism. Looking back at him before I entered my dorm, "Your plan won't work: he already knows what you're working on and is planning around your plan."

"So what?" I called, slightly agitated, after him as he was stepping inside his dorm, "We'll just plan around the plan that he's planning around our plan!"

"Despite all that, there's something you solely lack..." he stated in a tone that sent literal ice crystals flying from the carpeted flooring beneath my feet.

"And that is..?" I croaked out between the flurry of ice that was pelting my mouth and throat. Atom looked over at me with blood red eyes that looked like there was something behind them looking through, ready to kill at a moments notice. A twisted smile appeared on his face that exposed twin rows of needle sharp as well as thin teeth. All those in effect along with a dark Aura emitting around him made him the single biggest creep I've ever run into. But as he said the next bone-chilling statement was when I lost conciseness..."Zeppelins... along with an impenetrable fortress that used to be called Ancread... good luck, Yang Xiao Long... I'll see you there."

* * *

"Yang...? Yang..!" a voice called out from the darkness that surrounded me, a splitting headache being my only welcoming party. "Help me Yang!" the voice called out again, this time more recognizable and distinct than before. "YANG!" my sisters pained voice screamed in my ear, causing me to open my eyes to the most horrific sight I've ever seen...

Ruby was pinned to some pentagram looking structure, her wrists and ankles were cuffed to four out of the five points on the star in a leather like material that spider webbed around her body, only exposing her face, breasts, and nether regions. Around her was blood red wax candles and ritualistic symbols written in what looked like blood. Men and women in crimson robes and hoods with sleek black gloves and boots were on their knees around her, chanting in some ancient language. One of the figures pulled a lever that was located beside her, activating some ancient mechanism causing it to start up in a series of mechanical whirring and wooden clanking to ring throughout the air around me. Underneath Ruby, a wooden plate moved from its original position to expose two wooden support structures holding what looked like glass jars, positioning themselves along her... openings. I tried to screech out her name but shortly found myself in a similar binding as Ruby, only unable to speak as some thick substance had filled my mouth identical to a gag.

But it was enough to get her attention for a brief second, and with it, I saw something that I never expected to see from Ruby in my life; something that would stick with me for as long as I lived...I saw fear within her eyes, but her face was one of disappointment and failure. Another lever was pulled and the jars inserted themselves into her, causing her to scream out in a pain that I'd never heard before.

'You bastards!' I mentally screamed as I yanked and tugged at my restraints. 'I'll kill you! Every last one of you will die for what you've done to Ruby! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!'

Another lever was pulled, and a black substance began to fill the jars, making its way up and into her cavities, causing the screaming to switch to a painful series of begging and pleading for them to stop. The end result was the substance to move quicker into her. After what seemed like an eternity, she ceased her begging, as it had turned into quick, faint breaths and her eyes to roll up and into her head. Her mouth agape, the substance leaked out of her mouth and smothered her body. Simultaneously, her stomach erupted outwards with the same material, only to be covered by it again.

It was then that I realized what the substance truly was...

Black Widows.

* * *

'Up came the grenades that were nothing but duds and ricocheted off of the armor...'

(Nora's POV)

* * *

"2015-09-08: Everyone's been on edge since the arcade incident three months ago. Ruby's suffering from night terrors. Ren's in the hospital with a nightmare that was so terrible he went into a coma due to its intensity. Jaune's missing and Pyrra's on a search-and-destroy mode as a result. Wiess and Blake are always sneaking off together, so no-one seems to know what their opinions or states of mind are. Yang's either screening her emotions or sparring with someone and nearly killing them in the process. As for me, this is my nineteenth video recording since Day 0 - Ren's idea, by the way - and I'm heading to the location of the origin of this story, to what I know it to be.

"The arcade.

"What I intend on finding here? Your guess is as good as mine, to be honest. Answers, I guess. Should this video series get to the police and from there go viral, whoever is doing this, I just have one question for you: why? Why are you doing this? Why us? And why now of all times? Please... haven't you tortured us enough with your sick game!? *sniffle* This is Nora Valkyrie, almost out of hope... and over at my limit."

Clicking the 'stop recording' button on the camcorder in my hands, I closed the collapsible screen on the side of the machine and pocketed the device. Brushing the tears aside. The wretched feeling of crying crept into my throat as I took a deep breath to try and soothe

myself.

Leaning against a light post looking out towards Beacon's loading docks, I tried to put the evidence together mentally.

'"An hour of fear for all that you hold dear"... Ruby's night terrors... Ren's fear coma... Monochrome a possibility...' I recalled as I lifted my hand to prop my head as I thought. 'Either someone's fucking with the Fear Turkey again, or there's a terrorist with long range phycological controls. Either or, we have to actually face this thing head on and kill it before it spreads.' agreeing with my possible outcomes, I lowered my hand back to my side and raised my head again.

Standing upright, I shifted toward the dorm buildings and sprinted into a brisk run towards it.

'I have to tell her... before it's too late!'

(Dorm building Echo: Team RWBY's dorm.)

"We leave tonight. The sooner we do this, the sooner this is over and nothing but a horrid memory." Ruby revealed her plan to me as she loaded bullets into her clips for Crescent Rose.

Apparently, she hired a Black Hat Hacker that went by iPodDude1824 to attain what he could about our antagonist and the one who gave us those notes three months ago. What he found out was that the attacker went by Atomic Flea, he recently bought a burnt-out club before the incident passed, but nothing else.

"Then let me scout ahead of the group, to see what sorts of defenses this guy has set up!" I bargained in hopes of coaxing her away from the inevitable.

But to no avail.

Shaking her head, she loaded her weapon and cocked a bullet into the chamber. "Ren's in a coma, Jaunes MIA, and so is Yang... I'm not going to lose you too Nora. I'm sorry, but the answer is no. We have far too much at stake for this to go wrong." As she said that, the pressure that was swelling around my chest either lifted or became too sensitive to notice. She shuffled towards the door behind me as she sheathed her weaponry, placing a hand on my arm as she passed. "It's happening tonight... and everyone's going in as a group. For Ren, Jaune, and Yang... And Nora..?"

I glanced over her way, tears welling in my eyes.

"When this is over, Ren has something that he wants to ask you. Didn't say much when we talked about it, just that it was important-"

"I already know what it is that he wants to ask me, and I'll tell him when he wakes up that he had his chance when we were kids." I affirmed coldly as I hung onto the younger girls wrist lightly, fighting my urges to be too forward with her.

Not like she was making it easy on me, though.

"Meaning?" she asked, taking an uneasy step toward me.

'Meaning I love you, you idiot!' I mentally shrieked, but all I did was clench my free hand into a tight ball and applied some pressure to my clutch.

"Nora... what aren't you telling me? What's wrong?"

'Well... as the song says... "Fuck it all!"' I thought as I unballed my fist and raised it to cup her cheek.

"N-Nor-"

She never got to finish her sentence, because in the instant it took her to open her mouth, I had driven my lips up against hers in (what I felt was) a passion fuelled kiss. She struggled for a moment, trying to say words that would be lost in the embrace but only that. From there, she wrapped her arms around my waistline and lead me toward one of the bunks.

What happened from there, though... that's a tale for another time. ;P

* * *

 **A/N: Sup readers! Long time no chat, I know... but I haven't had much inspiration for the last few months, along with going into my Senior year of high school, I barely have time to even check to see if another Author I've Fave'd/Followed has sent up a new chapter. As well as being a Beta Reader, I'll try to keep up the supply as long as there's a demand. Any whom, some pretty obvious Easter Eggs, some reason this fic is rated M instead of T, and maybe a hint at the next chapter? Who knows. I know I don't! (Yet...) Till next time, fave, follow, criticize my work if it was "da shit" or total shit, anxiously wait for the next season of The Walking Dead to come out next month, etc.**

 **PEACE!**


	3. the beginning of the end

(POV of Code Name: Reaper)

(Night of the attack)

(Location; Code Name: Killing Field)

Lightning flashed overhead that lit up the near pitch black streets of Vale as a silhouette ran past a darkened ally, causing a rain soaked cat to hiss and take shelter nearby.

`Reaper, this is Hammer of Dusk, I'm in position.` a feminine voice crackled to life from Reaper's ear piece.

`Kniteshade's in position.` a male voice said shortly after, followed by a monotonous one as it grumbled `Could've

picked better names for this, you know...`

The figure then jumped between two buildings rapidly, landing in a kneeling position with its head lowered. Raising it, the figure reached under its cloak, grabbing a face mask and using it to cover its jawline and nose before sprinting across the rooftops.

`Quit your bitching, Nightshade!` a third, more pissed off sounding, female voice sparked to life within the closed communications link established between the teams as the figure leapt between a fairly large gap between buildings before disappearing in a cloud of rose pestles and landing on the adjacent structure. 'At least it's better than Freezerburn! By the way Reap, we're in position.`

The figure jumped from two more buildings before sliding to a halt, pulling out a mid sized, red box from its lower back and taking up a kneeling position. `Grim at recon point,` a young feminine voice came from the coms. `Orders Reaper?`

"Hold tight 'til I give the orders to advance." I said as I lit up a smoke three blocks south from Grim's location.

`Copy.` they all said at once, causing a slight EMP-like effect, killing my phone for about ten seconds. After it came back to life, I tapped a small button on my earpiece to the next channel, casually stating into it "Do a bit of recon on the place then report back to me Grim."

As if on cue, the box opened up to revile a three-and-a-half foot sniper which the figure shouldered and took aim down the sight. No sooner had this happened had there been three flashes coming from its muzzle, and three bodies falling where they stood.

`Three .50's down. Teams Freezerburn and Knightshade able to move up 100 meters, Sir.` Grim's voice said abnormally coldly. Almost as cold as Weiss (pun intended.)

"Three?" I questioned, purposely filling my voice with curiosity, "You mean to say 'Seven .50's down and the path is cleared until the doorway', no?"

Readjusting her angle, four more suppressed shots ripped through an equal amount of targets. `Seven targets down. Assault teams can Waltz up to the door should they choose, Frenchmen.` she retorted, collapsing her rifle and storing it on her person before vaulting over the building's side to join the others.

"Don't push it kid," I said before changing the channel again to the rest of the team. "Knightshade, Freezerburn, move up to the main door. Grim, Rendezvous with Hammer. Move!" the last word I accidentally yelled, forcing my cigarette out of my mouth as lightning flashed behind me. Flipping the channel again, I proceeded to update my own boss on the details.

`Did you calibrate the systems, Frenchman?` his muffled voice asked monotonously.

"As to specifications, Doctor." I stated sarcastically, doing my best German impression aiming to really piss him off. I hate it when people think I'm their personal lap dog. I'm a fucking merc for gods sake!

`Good.` his voice gains a hint of maleficence to it as he speaks this time around. `Detonate the charges after they enter... make sure they don't make it back out the way they came. Once this is done, your cheque will be awaiting you in your safety deposit box in Vale; I'll have no further need of your PMC after this. Good hunting, General.`

"Fucking better, you Irish prick." I mumbled as I jumped from the building I was on so I could get in range to detonate the Santex I had placed to close off the primary entrance. 'Closing off these kids and sending them into your Hell is worth triple what I agreed to.' Hiding behind an overturned car from a riot that had previously happened here, I took the detonator from my left breast pocket and disengaged the safety on it in my right hand. Flipping the channel again, I gave my final order to those unsuspecting kids. "Are all teams in position?"

`Affirmative Reaper` Grim's voice was heard through my com piece, still as cold as before. `How much longer do we have to wait till we bust down the door and say "Hello!"?`

Cringing a little bit at the thought of what I was going to do, I steeled my nerves and said clearly "What? You haven't yet? The hell are you waiting for? Go and introduce yourselves teams."

Seconds later, the sounds of metal tearing and gunfire rung through the air, disheartening me further.

After about a minute, a chorus of the word 'Clear!' was heard through my earpiece followed by Grim questioning `Where the fuck is he!?`

Taking a deep breath, I clenched the detonator in my hand saying "Grim... You're in charge now and that's an order, but I want you to remember two things."

`And those are?` she questioned angrily.

"One: I'm just following orders, and two: Nothing in there will be what it seems... Remember the later of the two, all of you, and you might survive his game -"

`Wait - WHAT!?`

"I'm sorry." with that, I squeezed the detonator and triggering the charges to go off as planned. Pulling out my earpiece, I casted it aside and walked away from the sight, allowing the rain and the darkness to envelop me into it as well.

(POV of Grim AKA Ruby.)

(Moments earlier.)

`Are all teams in position?` Reaper's voice came through my earpiece as I stacked up behind Nora outside the door to our tormentor for so long, wanting to kill the sonofabitch as soon as possible.

"Affirmative Reaper. How much longer do we have to wait till we bust down the door and say 'Hello!'?" I nearly yelled, wanting to get this over with.

Moments passed before he sighed, `What? You haven't yet? The hell are you waiting for? Go and introduce yourselves teams.`

Lightly patting Nora on the shoulder, she moved in front of the door and placed a block of explosives on it before returning to her post. Grabbing a detonator from her waistline pocket with her left hand, with her right hand she raised three fingers so everyone there could see them. Lowering each one as the seconds past only furthering my adrenaline levels.

As the last one fell into her fist, there was a faint click before the charges exploded and splitting the thick, steel doors wide open. As one of the doors fell off of its hinges, we stormed the buildings seemingly only room to it.

The room was a dimmly lit ballroom with a light brown floral wallpaper and laminant hardwood floring.

"HUD's up everyone!" I ordered as I pressed a button on the glasses i was given beforehand and primed both of my sidearms: a Five-Seven with a red dot sight, mussel break and laser under barrel attachment, as well as a plasma sword that had a light purple glow to it. "Knightshade, Hammer! Sweep left. Freezer burn, on me with the right! Search this place clean for any hidden passages!" stabbing through some wallpaper, I took off in a sprint running parallel to the wall. Reaching the end of the wall, I spun in a clockwise circle while deactivating and holstering the blade. "Hellfire, Ice Queen, help me with this wall. This place is getting torn apart and cleared! The faster we kill him, the faster we go home..!"

In mere moments, we had the entire room completely destroyed with only the supporting beams left standing. The once wall coverings were shredded and laying on the floor in piles, some even on fire. Taking a quick inspection to make sure nothing was left undiscovered, my rage had met an all time high and boiled over.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS HE!?" I yelled out in frustration. Just then, my ear piece surged to life with Reapers voice on the line.

`Grim... You're in charge now and that's an order, but I want you to remember two things...`

"And those are..?" I questioned, adding mentally 'his voice is shaking... Whatever is going to happen isn't going to be pretty.'

`One: I'm just following orders, and two: Nothing in there will be what it seems... Remember the later of the two, all of you, and you might survive his game -`

Even more confused than before, the only thing I was able to get out was "Wait - WHAT!?"

`I'm sorry` was the last thing I heard before an explosion from the doorway sent me flying towards one of the support beams and almost knocking me out. The last thing I saw before i lost concusses was a dark dove Faunus like figure walking towards me and whisper in my ear "welcome... To The Gamble..."


	4. Wanted: Any and all Plot Ideas

**Hello readers of The Gamble, Ion here. Yes, my record for uploading chapters isn't the best, but here's the thing: writers block has been keeping me from thinking up anything even half decent. So... I'm going to be opening up to you, the readers, to help me with where to go with this story from here. I** ** _do,_** **however, have an idea of where I want this to go, but it may be overly brutal for this early in the story.**

 **If you have any ideas, please either PM me or leave a review for this chapter.** **I'm not the best at this kind of thing, but any and all help will be appreciated, and all possible plot ideas will be explored.**

 **Thank you for your time and as always: keep calm, love anime, and keep reading your favorite Fic.**


	5. Where one story ends

**As some of you may have noticed over the years, this Fic has basically no plot at all. And if I'm to be honest with all of you, I intended it to be like that. But the story that I intended to fall into place was looking more like the plot line of SAO. What I intend to start as of the beginning of next month is working on a similar sort of thing in a third person format and explain some things along the way. May the Gods have mercy on this new Fic...**


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